This invention relates to a vehicle wheel, and more particularly to a vehicle wheel having a hand hole extending from a first surface to a second surface of the vehicle wheel wherein the hand hole has a zone of a minimum dimension intermediate the first surface and the second surface.
A vehicle wheel is a circular frame adapted for mounting on the axle of a vehicle and which carries the tires of the vehicle. Vehicle wheels are made of metal, such as steel and aluminum. A vehicle wheel includes several openings, one of which is known to those skilled in the art as a "hand hole". The hand hole extends from the outer surface of the disc of the wheel to the inner surface of the disc of the wheel. The hand hole is used to provide a passageway for the tire valve in single and multiple wheel applications. The hand hole also provides a means for ventilating the vehicle's brake system.
Traditionally, the hand hole was drilled straight through the disc. This created a sharp corner formed by the surface of the disc and the inside wall surface of the opening. Because of this sharp corner, stress concentrations develop in the regions adjacent to the hand holes. These stress concentrations, if great enough, lead to cracking. Obviously, higher stress concentrations lead to shorter life of the vehicle wheel.
What is needed, therefore, is a vehicle wheel having hand holes that are designed to minimize stress concentrations so that the vehicle wheel has a longer operating life while at the same time providing aesthetic styling benefits.